1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information, which determine the network state of nodes existing in a network and provide the state information to a new node when the new node connects to the distributed network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the introduction of wireless networks such as a mobile phone network, wireless LANs, WiBro, WiFi, and Bluetooth networks, services using peer-to-peer communication between mobile devices (hereinafter, called “nodes”) have become widespread. That is, nodes exist in a network and communicate with each other to share information, namely transmit and receive data.
In the case where a new node tries to connect to a network in such a distributed network environment, the new node may not be able to easily establish a network connection depending upon the network state of the nodes already existing in the network.
FIG. 1 illustrates the conventional distributed wireless network, and shows the case where a new node 10 is connected to a pre-existing network. In the case where the new node 10 tries to connect to a network consisting of a plurality of nodes, the new node 10 tries to enter the network using network information 15 of another node, which the new node 10 has. For example, in the case where the new node 10 has network information 15 of node 1 11 and node 2 12, the new node 10 first tries to connect to node 1 11, and, if the try fails, it tries to connect to node 2 12.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, because node 1 11 is connected to the other nodes, when the new node 10 is connected to node 1, it is possible that node 1 11 is unable to appropriately operate because of the lack of memory resources or network resources. Further, at the moment when the new node 10 tries to connect to node 2 12, if node 2 12 leaves the network, the network connection of the new node 10 fails.
Hence, it is preferable for the new node 10 to try to connect to a node whose network state is good; for example, a node to which only a few other nodes are connected, or a node that is expected to maintain the connection to the network. For this, the methods described below can be used.
First, the new node 10 tries to connect to node 1 11 and node 2 12 at the same time. Here, the method of connecting to a plurality of nodes at the same time can form a loop with the connected nodes; however, in such case overhead can be created and can decrease efficient use of system resources of the nodes connected to the loop. Second, nodes existing in the network periodically transmit and receive their network states. As such, the method of periodically transmitting and receiving the network state between nodes can increase the load on the network. Third, a separate device collects the network state of nodes and provides the collected information to the new node 10. However, there should be a separate device, and because the band for the whole network needs to be used for collecting the network state of the nodes, the network can become overloaded.
Hence, there is a need for a method in which a new node 10 can try to and connect to valid nodes without a separate device, minimizing the increase of the network load.